


Goodnight Greendale

by AnnieNadir



Series: Annie & Abed at the Airport [1]
Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Airports, F/M, Post series finale, frasier references, good night seattle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 02:37:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15208988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieNadir/pseuds/AnnieNadir
Summary: Abed makes a grand romantic gesture through an homage. Set post-Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television. The title is a reference to Frasier, which I also do not own.





	Goodnight Greendale

    Abed knew this was more than a brief absence from the show; he was spinning off. Perhaps they were all spinning off…Would what was happening at Greendale now even be the same show? Only two of the original study group members remained, and it wasn’t even a study group any more. The moment the group ceased to be a study group Abed knew the proverbial series finale was looming close on the horizon. School-based television shows begin with an expiration date. He should have known better than to get attached. But he couldn’t help himself. He’d never had friends before, much less a group of friends as close, diverse, and interesting as those in a TV show. He hoped he wouldn’t have to spin off alone. He watched for any sign of Jeff (or Vaughn, Rich, even Troy). He had to make sure his plan would work before he set it in action, which required waiting until the last possible minute. So he passed the time sitting next to Annie in the airport watching for any signs that his plan would fail. This included watching Annie (She didn’t complain, used to Abed’s more unusual quirks after living with him for so long.), to make sure that she didn’t have an epiphany and decide to stay. If Annie should decide to stay, or if one of Annie’s former love interests were to burst in with a declaration of undying love, for this moment at the airport would be the prime opportunity to do so, Abed had a contingency plan of course; Abed had booked two flights, one to Los Angeles and one to Virginia. He’d also accepted two jobs, one in Los Angeles and one in New York. Both of which he had prepped to cancel at any moment. It wouldn’t be long now.

    “Abed,” Annie called him out of his internal monologue. “It looks like it’s time to say goodbye.” There were tears in her eyes. Abed stood and looked at her. It was now or never.

     “I’m not saying goodbye,” Abed spoke evenly.

     “Abed, please,” Annie was blinking back tears. “Don’t make this harder. We don’t have time: your terminal is on the other side of the airport and–”

     Abed took her hands in his. Annie was surprised, whether pleasantly or unpleasantly it was too soon to tell. Notably, she was also confused.

    “Abed, what are you doing?”

     “Making a grand romantic gesture,” Abed replied bluntly. “I’m going with you. I have a job lined up in New York. I can visit every weekend, and if things are going well, you can transfer to the FBI’s New York office.” Abed started a kiss lean. Annie stepped back.

     “What’s wrong? You’re in love with Jeff, aren’t you?” Annie flinched; her face was guilty.

     “So, something did happen between you and Jeff.” Abed frowned. His plan was failing.

     “Well… he did kiss me goodbye, but it’s not… I don’t love Jeff…Well, it just that…” She swallowed. “You have a girlfriend!”

     “Rachel and I broke up. It wasn’t going to work either way, with Rachel staying in Colorado. Besides, Rachel and I haven’t been getting along for months. If I’ve learned anything from Frasier, it’s that common interests alone aren’t enough to maintain romantic relationships…In fact, that’s what gave me the idea for this homage. You see, in the series finale of Frasier, “Goodnight Seattle”, Frasier tells everyone he’s accepted a job in San Francisco, but in the end it’s revealed that he goes to Chicago to be with his love interest and…” Annie’s face had fallen.

     “So this is just another bit then…” She said dejectedly. Her eyes were tearing again.

     “Not a bit, an homage,” He corrected, then, unable to stand Annie’s Disney face any longer, added quickly, “It was the only way I could think of to express my feelings.”

  
     “Abed, that’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Cool. Cool, cool, cool. Cool. It was the airport kiss Abed had always wanted, but never thought he’d get. Sure, he’d be able to seduce some random girl into kissing him in a terminal, but it wouldn’t have the same emotional impact, and they’d just leave. But here with Annie, it was just like a movie. And maybe he was wrong, maybe he stood a chance at getting married yet…As perfect as the kiss was, he had to break it off; they’d miss their flight.

  
     “We’ll miss our flight.” Abed stated matter-of-factly. Annie grinned at him. Then took Abed’s hand in one hand and her suitcase in the other. As they boarded the plane, Abed thought that maybe for once someone wouldn’t leave him; maybe spinning off wouldn’t be so bad after all.


End file.
